HOW COOKED IS HOLDER’S GOOSE?

I’m enjoying immensely Attorney General Eric Holder’s frantic efforts to keep his job.  But why the White House wants him to is mystifying.

Mr. Holder’s troubles began when we learned the Justice Department seized the telephone records of reporters and editors for the Associated Press. 

His goose was cooked when it was learned the attorney general himself had signed off on snooping the phone records of Fox News diplomatic correspondent James Rosen, then shopped for a judge who would issue a warrant of such dubious constitutionality. 

Major news organizations, liberal law professors and prominent Democrats joined Republicans in demanding his resignation.

Which, if Mr. Holder had any sense, he’d offer in a heartbeat, because he was under oath when he told the House Judiciary Committee: "In regard to potential prosecution of the press for the disclosure of material – this is not something I’ve ever been involved in, heard of, or would think would be wise policy."

You don’t have to be Clarence Darrow to suspect that that is perjury.  It wasn’t the first time the attorney general had given false testimony to Congress.  His pattern of deception has not put lawmakers in a forgiving mood.  If he remains in office, an indictment is likely.

But if Mr. Holder were to resign after expressing contrition, Republicans almost certainly would drop perjury charges.  It would seem to some like persecution.  He’s more likely to stay out of jail if he gets out of DOJ Dodge.

This scandal is more problematic for President Barack Hussein Obama, because it angers journalistic allies who’ve been downplaying the others swirling about his administration.

And this is the scandal where the president can plausibly deny involvement.  If military aid could have been sent to Benghazi, it’s hard to imagine the president wasn’t involved in the decision not to send it.  IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman visited the White House 157 times, so it’s hard to believe Mr. Obama knew nothing about IRS intimidation of his political enemies.

Many journalists outraged by Justice Department snooping still defend the president on Benghazi and the IRS.  If Mr. Holder were to shoulder all the blame, and Mr. Obama were to express indignation about what he had done, journalists would be eager to believe them.

Since it would seem to be very much in the president’s interest to have Mr. Holder exit fast, why did White House Press Secretary Jay Carney say the president has "complete confidence" in him?

And since it’s apparent to all the sentient that Mr. Holder lied, why did Mr. Carney declare he "testified truthfully?"  Such statements harm the president’s credibility without improving Mr. Holder’s.

The attorney general invited journalists to a schmooze session — then declared it off the record. Journalists unwilling to accept that condition "forfeit their right to gripe," said Democrat National Committee flack Brad Woodhouse.

This elevated the scandal story for another news cycle, and expanded the wedge forming between liberal journalists with some integrity, and the complete whores.  Unfortunately the latter vastly outnumber the former.

Here’s a tip for Mr. Woodhouse:  Bullying works better when people are afraid of you.  Journalists have suppressed harmful news out of ideological affinity, not fear.  When you try to intimidate those who are not fearful, you just tick them off.

The longer Eric Holder remains attorney general, the more he and the president bleed.  So why does the president want him to stay?

Mr. Holder is Mr. Obama’s "human shield," said Reason columnist Nick Gillespie. Mr. Holder describes himself as Obama’s "wingman." Could he have buried so much bad stuff the Obama presidency would be doomed if it leaks?

I think the president backs Mr. Holder, to the detriment of both, chiefly because he has difficulty recognizing when political winds shift.  His customary response to criticism of his policies is to treat critics with imperial disdain, as he did Wednesday (5/29) when he declared: "I don’t have much patience for people who deny climate change."

Scorn sufficed when he was being hailed as maybe the smartest president ever.  But when his aides say he is so out of touch he had no idea what was going on in his administration, it doesn’t work as well.

Combine this with a near pathological unwillingess to admit a mistake, and extreme reluctance to make decisions, and Mr. Obama is likely always to be a beat or two slow in responding to new revelations.

This circus is just beginning.  I must buy more popcorn.

Jack Kelly is a former Marine and Green Beret and a former deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force in the Reagan administration. He is national security writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.